Game apparatus



Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET E: n w 430m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4., 1922.

Application filed October 28, 1920. Serial No. 420,099.

To aZZwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAnLns W. HAMEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. My invention has relation to improvements in game apparatus and is more particularly adapted to a baseball game, although such games as golf, cricket, football, and other field games can be played with the same apparatus, suitable modifications being made in the notations to correspond with plays arising in the particular game.

The present application is more particularly an improvement on my copending application for game apparatus, filed May 22, 1919, Serial Number 298,957, this application embodying an improved play indicating device and an improved play recording board.

The object of the present invention is to provide a play indicating device whereby practically every play that is likely to arise in a contest may be simulated by means of my invention. a

A further-object is to provide a play recording board whereon the results of plays may be recorded with facility and whereon the order of the players participating may be easily kept track of.

A further object is to provide a play recording board whereon suitable objects are utilized to represent the players and their respective positions, means being provided for maintaining the objects in their proper positions and relative sequence,

Other and further objects will be better apparent from a detailed description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 represents the play indicating device superposed in position on the play recording board.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the play recording board detached, some of the objects located in positions denoting results of the a play- Figure 3 is a horizontal cross sectional detail on line 33 of Figure 2, the objects r maining in levation- Referring to the drawings, 1 presents a frame provided with a transverse shaft 2 on which are mounted the play indicating devices 3, 3, said devices consisting of a suitable housing 4, provided with vertical partitio-ns 5, which partitions divide the housings into a series of seven compartment-s each, designated by the numeral 6. Each of the housings 4 is provided with a trans verse opening 7 on each of its four sides, said transverse openings extending across all of the compartments 6 and being covered with a transparent wall to permit of the play objects 8 being viewed from outside. The construction of the play indicating devices is substantially the same as that of my copending application above referred to, in that the transparent walls are shaped so as to form. a series of pockets each of which coincides with a corresponding opening in the peripheral wall of the housing 4. Each compartment contains a number of objects marked to indicate different plays. These objects can be of any size or form such as balls, and the openings in housing 4: are of proper size so that only one of such objects 'can enter the transparent pocket when in lowermost position through said opening. As the housing is rotated, the object is carried upwardly in said pocket a sufiicient distance to bring it into the full view of the player. The objects which do not enter the various pockets of each compartment roll downwardly onto the bottom of the compartment. During the next operation of the housing or housings, the objects which have been carried upwardly in the pockets are discharged from said pockets, while different objects are brought into view in the succeeding pockets.

Each of the compartments 6 represents a play possible in the game and the objects contained within a compartment are variously colored which permits of reference to another compartment identified by the same color whereby a play or a series of plays may be followed to their conclusion. This will be clear from the following example:

To start play, we will rotate by means of the knob 9 the righthand housing 4:, thus causing the objects 8 to tumble in their respective compartments and come to rest within sight when th housing is brought to rest. The first compartment designated 1 discloses the plays on the batter and sented on the diamond of the play recor ing.

board (to be hereinafter referred to) then the safe hit was via that particular base or in its vicinity. In this manner, by following the particular color from compartment to compartment and reading the inscription in spaces 10 beloweach compartment, we are enabledto follow the play to its con clusion, it being understood, of course, that when different colored objects appear, then difierent plays are indicated.

It is also possible by means of this play indicating device to call a play, that is, if

a runner is on first base and it is desired to indicate his intention to steal second, the player will call a steal and thereupon the lefthand housing is rotated and by refer-ring to compartment 11, and the inscription beneath said compartment, the result of the play is determined; for instance, if

a red object appears in compartment 11 the runner is out and if a brown object appears then the steal was successful and the runner is safe.

It will thus be apparent that when a baseball game is being played, reference to the compartments denoted by the color of the objects will enable my improved device to indicate practically every play that ordinarily comes up in a ball game. So too, if the game is golf, the inscriptions below the compartments and above the same will be changed to correspond with plays that will come'up in the game of golf.

Theprimary feature involved in my invention is the use of a series of compart ments and differently marked objects, said objects having reference to one or more of the compartments, the compartment being indicated by the color of the object.-

5 In Figure 2 I have illustrated the. play recording board which consistsof a bottom board 11, the righthand side of said bottom board havingmarked thereon a baseball diamond 12 in this particular instance (in another instance a golf course mayhere be .marked), the respective players being represented on the diamond by differently colored objects and the bases being represented by diflerently colored objects so that a particu lar color in the play indicating device will refer one to the same color on the playrecording device, and thereby designate the base or the player where a particular play took place. On the lefthand side of the play recording board 11 are a series of grooves, these grooves being adapted to receive the differently colored objects 13 which represent the players in the game. Referring .to these grooves more particularly, groove 14: is dove-tail in cross section and is adapted to receive objects 15, said objects upon being inserted in the groove not being removable except by removing a plate 16 fitting into recesses 17 at the open end of the groove. The object of thus holdin the objects 15 in place is to prevent con usion in the batting order of the players, since each one of these objects is'colored to represent the corresponding playerof the diamond 12, and thus representing particular pla ers, theseplaycrs on any given team having xed batting orders. If, however, a different team is represented, then, of course, the objects 15 will have to be rearranged to represent players of that particular team. There are two of these sets of objects 15 in their respective grooves 14, one representing the 1115 or those who are at bat, and the other representing the outsor those who are in the field and are so designated on the board.

, Conti uous to the objects 15 which denote the batting order of the players are objects 13, above referred to, these latter objects being freely removable from their grooves 18 for it is with-these objects13 that the result of plays is denoted. For instance, a groove 19 is provided to receive those players which have been put out in the play, while a groove 20 in line with groove 19 is to receive those players who have been successful in scoring runs, there beingsufficient space in groove 20 to record five runs. ()n the lower 'righthand' side of the board 11 a groove 21 is provided which is marked oil so as to provide space for the object representing the batter and-is further provided with spaces marked oil to denote a player or players who have been successful in reaching a particular base orbases.

It is thus seen that inmy improved recording board I have provided means for denoting the batting order of players which maybe permanent for ,any :one game and which cannot he accidentally disarran d. I have also provided means for recor ing the result of plays and means for recording runs. or points that have been scored in the course of the play. In addition to this, the diamond or field whereon the plays occur is so marked that it is possible to account for the manner in which the play was made. 1

It will be understood that my improved play recording board need not necessarily be used in conjunction with my playindieating device, as any device used for indicating plays could have these rec rded on my recording board. Furthermore, while the present description necessarily refers to a baseball game, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the same, nor do I wish to be understood as limiting my self to the identical recording board shown in the drawings, but I wish to avail myself of the many modifications to which the present invention is susceptible.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a game apparatus, a play recording board, interchangeable members arranged on said board and provided with individual marks for indicating players in their proper sequence, and objects for indicating the results of plays, said objects being referable to said members for indicating players by having individual marks which coincide with the marks on said members.

2. In combination with a game apparatus, a play recording board having an undercut groove, distinctively marked objects interchangeably arranged in said groove for indicating the order of the players, and correspondingly marked objects removably arranged on said board for recording the re sult of plays.

3. In combination with a game apparatus, a play recording board, said board being provided with interchangeable distinctively marked objects, manually operable means for temporarily holding said objects against displacement, and correspondingly marked objects movably arranged on said board for indicating the result of plays.

4. In a game apparatus, a play recording board, a series or" marked objects interchangeably held in position on said board to indicate the sequential arrangement of the players, a series of player indicating objects marked to correspond with the first mentioned objects and removably held in position on said board, means on said board for temporarily receiving said player indicating objects to indicate the playing positions of the players, and means for temporarily receiving said player indicating objects to indicate the results of the play.

5. In a game apparatus, a play recording board, a series of marked objects interchangeably held on said board, means for locking said objects in position, a series of player indicating objects marked to correspond to the first-mentioned objects, means on said board for removably receiving said player indicating objects in the order indicated by the first-mentioned objects, means for temporarily receiving said player indicating objects to indicate the playing positions, and means for temporarily receiving said player indicating objects to indicate the results of the play.

6. In a game apparatus, a play recording board provided with a groove adapted to removably receive a series of position indicating objects, means for retaining the objects in said groove in positions indicated by the first mentioned objects, a second groove adapted to temporarily receive a series of objects, and auxiliary grooves for receiving the last mentioned objects.

7. In a game apparatus, a play recording board provided with a dove-tail groove, a series of distinctively marked objects removably positioned in said groove, and manually operable means for preventing the displacement of said objects.

8. In a game apparatus, a play recording board provided with a dove-tail groove having an open end, a series of distinctively marked objects slidably positioned in said groove, means for closing the open end of said groove, thereby preventing the dis placement of said objects, a second groove adapted to receive a. series of objects marked to correspond with the first-mentioned objects, and auxiliary grooves for temporarily receiving said last-mentioned objects.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature this 25th day of October, 1920.

- CHARLES W'. HAMEL. 

